Communication channels are generally used to process transmitted data. Such channels are useful in a variety of applications, such as telecommunications systems and data storage devices.
In some communication channels, an input (e.g., analog) signal is sampled to provide a corresponding series of discrete (e.g., digital) samples. A variety of data recovery techniques can then be applied to the discrete samples to reconstruct the informational content of the input signal. Such recovery techniques can include partial-response, maximum likelihood (PRML) and decision-feedback equalization (DFE).
Input signals can be encoded, such as with error correction (ECC) and rim-length limited (RLL) encoding. Channel recovery processing thus often includes appropriate decoding steps to remove the encoded components of the transmitted signals to arrive at the underlying user data.
It may be desirable from time to time to evaluate a prospective channel design for a given application, such as in the case of qualifying a new vendor to supply components in the ongoing manufacture of an existing product, in specifying the particular channel configuration and channel parametrics for a new product design, etc. Such evaluations can be difficult and resource intensive.
One common evaluation approach is to use an arbitrary waveform generator (AWG), which is a device that can “mimic” various types of circuitry. The AWG is used to simulate various input signals that may be experienced in a given product environment. An emulation system in the form of hardware and/or software is coupled to the AWG, and emulates a selected channel configuration to process the input signals.
A limitation with this approach is the inability to reproduce complex types of signals of the type that would likely result from various “real world” operational conditions. Thus, the evaluation process may result in the selection of a channel design that provides less than optimal performance in the real world.